Congratulations on launching this festival! How thrilling to see that theater packed with young readers. And although I don’t write fiction, I loved Ann Hood’s advice on scene construction.
Thanks, Rona! Yes, it was thrilling, and they were all engaged--amazing to see. I love Ann Hood's advice too, and think it makes sense for memoir scenes too.
What an amazing event! I’m so happy for you and everyone involved. Also, Loved and Missed, by Susie Boyt was one of my favorite books of the year! Can’t wait to check the other recommendations. Thank you for this note! xN
Thank you, Natalie! We were all pretty thrilled with how the festival turned out. And re the reading recs, I don't know how I missed LOVED AND MISSED, but I'm eager to read it.
Thank you, Maria! Yes, we had one keynote event for kids on Friday, and then a full day of free kids' author events on Saturday (we had two tracks, adult and kid/family, which I think of as varsity-level book-festivaling).
It's funny, because I actually glanced at the schedule when you posted it a while back. But I must have just looked at the names, without registering that there was a whole track just for kids and families.
Yes, and once we got the final schedule made, we were able to separate out the schedule into a grid (kids/families and adults). But I think we ended up attracting more aspiring kidlit writers than kids and families. Which is also fine!
Congratulations on organizing your first book festival!! It looks like it was a wonderful event and I so wish I could've attended. As always, after reading your blog I've now added a couple more books to my Goodreads TBR list. :)
Thanks, Kris! It really surpassed our expectations! Re reading recs, I loved both The Stolen Child and These Strange Eventful Days--two very different novels.
Congratulations on the successful festival Sarah! It looked incredible and full of inspiration. I hope you can keep those vibes with you for a long time...
Kudos on the NH Book Festival. It was amazing. I think the Hood and Messud conversation was my favorite panel. Their discussion about the writing process really resonated with my own experience and echoed insights I share with my editing clients. I suspect that I'll be sharing your post with some of the writers I work with!
Thank you, Martha! Thanks for being at the festival! I agree--it was a really great conversation, and they paired well together! I wanted to include more in this post but opted not to go too long. I love Ann Hood's advice on revision--she teaches the topic for Muse and the Marketplace/Grub Street, or at least she used to.
Congratulations on launching this festival! How thrilling to see that theater packed with young readers. And although I don’t write fiction, I loved Ann Hood’s advice on scene construction.
Thanks, Rona! Yes, it was thrilling, and they were all engaged--amazing to see. I love Ann Hood's advice too, and think it makes sense for memoir scenes too.
What an amazing event! I’m so happy for you and everyone involved. Also, Loved and Missed, by Susie Boyt was one of my favorite books of the year! Can’t wait to check the other recommendations. Thank you for this note! xN
Thank you, Natalie! We were all pretty thrilled with how the festival turned out. And re the reading recs, I don't know how I missed LOVED AND MISSED, but I'm eager to read it.
Wonderful! This is chock-a-block full of good stuff. And it is beyond wonderful that your book festival included a session specifically for kids.
Thank you, Maria! Yes, we had one keynote event for kids on Friday, and then a full day of free kids' author events on Saturday (we had two tracks, adult and kid/family, which I think of as varsity-level book-festivaling).
Wow — yes. I've actually never seen anything like that. Sending applause from here — that's fantastic.
Thanks, Maria!
It's funny, because I actually glanced at the schedule when you posted it a while back. But I must have just looked at the names, without registering that there was a whole track just for kids and families.
Yes, and once we got the final schedule made, we were able to separate out the schedule into a grid (kids/families and adults). But I think we ended up attracting more aspiring kidlit writers than kids and families. Which is also fine!
Congratulations on organizing your first book festival!! It looks like it was a wonderful event and I so wish I could've attended. As always, after reading your blog I've now added a couple more books to my Goodreads TBR list. :)
Thanks, Kris! It really surpassed our expectations! Re reading recs, I loved both The Stolen Child and These Strange Eventful Days--two very different novels.
Congratulations on the successful festival Sarah! It looked incredible and full of inspiration. I hope you can keep those vibes with you for a long time...
Thanks, Paige! It went really well, even better than we’d hoped!
Thanks so much for these delightful snippets of advice + light! ✨💛
Thanks! I thought they were delightful too!
Kudos on the NH Book Festival. It was amazing. I think the Hood and Messud conversation was my favorite panel. Their discussion about the writing process really resonated with my own experience and echoed insights I share with my editing clients. I suspect that I'll be sharing your post with some of the writers I work with!
Thank you, Martha! Thanks for being at the festival! I agree--it was a really great conversation, and they paired well together! I wanted to include more in this post but opted not to go too long. I love Ann Hood's advice on revision--she teaches the topic for Muse and the Marketplace/Grub Street, or at least she used to.
Oh, wow. I'll have to see if she's still offering this session. Thanks for letting me know!
Wonderful piece! How cool to have organized this. And more books to read!!❤️
Thanks, Jen! Yes, always more books to read, and I’m excited to read their recommended authors Elizabeth Jane Howard and Elizabeth Taylor.
I’m embarrassed to say I didn’t know them!
I've only heard of them but I've never read, either. I think some of them might be up your alley!
I love all of this so much, Sarah! Thanks for all of the great notes and quotes...makes me want to WRTIE!